Process of and apparatus for manufacturing heating and illuminating gas



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

O. P. HADLY. PROGE$S OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING HEATING ANDILLUMINATING GAS.

No. 433,784. A Patentd Aug. 5,1890.

wi/tmooeo a vwamioz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. HADLY, OF ALLEGHENY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES FUEL GASCOMPANY, LIMITED, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING HEATING AND ILLUMINATING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,784, dated August5, 1890. Application filed February 14, I890. Serial No. 340,806. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HADLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alle- I gheny, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inProcess of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating and Illuminating Gas,of which the following is a specification, reference being bad thereinto the accompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to certain improve ments in the manufacture ofheating and illuminating gas from furnace-gas or the pro ducts ofcombustion of burning fuel in conjunction with a suitable hydrocarbon oroil.

Heretofore in the manufacture of such gas a fluid or other hydrocarbonhas been employed in conjunction with air and steam which are mutuallydecomposed to a certain extent, and the combined gases and vapors,

' in connection with an additional quantity of hydrocarbon,

manent gas by retorting or subjecting the same to the further action ofheat. By this process the steam necessarily introduced in the-initialstep of the production of the gas is never wholly decomposed during suchpart of the process, and forms an objectionable element in thesubsequent process of producing a fixed gas.

My invention, primarily, has for its object to provide for theelimination orpartial elimination of the steam from the gas or productsof combustion after the initial step in the process, so as to produce adry or comparatively dry gaseous compound, which is subsequently fixedor converted into a permanent gas in connection with a suitablehydrocarbon, and my invention further has for its objects to provide anapparatus by means of which such elimination of the steam may beeffected at the proper stage and by which a more uniform conversion ofthe mixed gases and vapors into a fixed gas may be produced, the latterresult being effected by a peculiar construction of the retort-s, whichalso adds to the durability of the said retorts, as more fullyhereinafter explained.

The above-mentioned objects are accomplished by the means illustrated inthe ac companying drawings, forming part of this fixed or converted intoa pertion. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional view ofthe furnace and retorts forming part of said apparatus. Fig. 3represents a transverse vertical sectional view of a condenser and itsappendages which form part of the apparatus, and Fig. 4 represents alongitudinal vertical sectional view thereof.

The letter A indicates a furnace, which may be constructed ofbrick-work, masonry, or other suitable material, having a combustion orfire chamber B in its lower part. Within said combustion or fire chamberand set in its bottom or hearth is a pan or tray 0, constructed of iron,clay, or other suitable material, or the hearth itselfv may be simplydished and the tray omitted. 1

The tray is provided with a perforated diaphragm E, and below it is aspace E, or, in case the hearth is simply dished, a grating orperforated partition may be employed sitting slightly above'the bottomof the dished portion, so as to leave a similar space.

F indicates an oil-pipe leading from a suitable elevated oil or fluidhydrocarbon recep= tacle G and extending into the space above mentioned,where it terminates or through which it may be extended, and providedwith perforations for the escape of oil orhydrocarbon into the space.Around the edge of i the depression or dished portion of the hearth isbuilt or located a wall H, of fire-brick or other sufficientlyrefractory material, through which extends a tube or flue I, havingdownwardly-inclined nozzles K, directed toward the interior of the trayor depression, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The said tube orflue I is extended out through the wall of the furnace at one end andconnects with a pipe L, which in turn connects with an air-' pipe M,which extends through a passage in the wall of the furnace contiguous tothe firechamber thereof, sothat the air passing through said pipe may beheated on its way.

The letter N indicates an injector extending into the pipe I andconnecting with a steam-pipe P, which communicates with a suitablegenerator, and which is provided with a suitable cock R, by means ofwhich the flow of steam may be regulated.

The fire-chamber is provided with adoor S, by means of which access maybe had to its interior, andwits top is arched, as shown, and providedwith ports or openings T, leading to a retort-chamber U above. In saidchamber is located a bench of any convenient number of retorts XV, theupper series of which aresupported upon bricks X, arranged at properintervals Y, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the free passage of the hotproducts of combustion around the retorts. The retorts are constructedon the interior of iron and on the exterior of clay or other refractorymaterial to withstand the intense heat to which they are subjected andmore uniformly diffuse the heat to the interior of said retorts. Theretorts pass through the furnace and are connected alternately at theirfront and rear ends by means of return-bends or elbow-pipes Z. Theretort-chamber is arched at its top, and above said arch is formed achamber or flue A, which communicates with the retort-chamber at itssides below the crown of the arch by means of fiues B in such mannerthat the flame and products of combustion passing up fronnthefire-chamber into said retort-chamber will bereverberated and passedback over the retorts before passing into the flue A. The flue Aconnects with a smoke-stack or exit-flue G, and the said exit-flue isprovided with a valve or damper D for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The letter E indicates a condenser, which consists of a cylindricalvessel of iron or other suitable material, and F indicates a pipeextending from the flue C at a point below the damper to an elbow-pipeG, from which extend two horizontal pipes 11 into the condenser.

The letter I indicates a short pipe ha'ving injector-nozzles K, whichextend into the ends'of the pipes H for the purpose of draw ing the gasfrom the furnace and forcing it into the condenser. The pipes H areperforated on their lower sides for the escape of the gas.

The letter I indicates a water-inlet pipe connected with a proper headand provided with a suitable valve, the'said pipe extending into thelower part of the condenser to supply water thereto.

I M indicates a trap-pipe for the escape of water-from the condenser,the said'trappipe being so located as to keep the water on a level justabove the perforations in the pipes H, so as to compel the gas to passunder the surface of the water as it escapes.

The letter N indicates a drum,which is connected with the upper part ofthe condenser by means of pipes P. From the said drum extends a pipe It,which passes into the con denserand traverses the same in a series ofcoils S below the surface of the water therein.

I The said pipe passes out of the condenser at one end and connects withone of the sideretorts of the lower series of the bench. From the retortat the upper series of retorts and at the opposite side extends a pipe Tto a tank or chamber U, and from this tank extends a pipe V to agas-holder or the point of consumption of the gas. The pipe 1 connectswith the steam-pipe P before mentioned, by. means of which steam issupplied to the injector-nozzle K. i

The oil-supply pipe is provided with a branch pipe Y,leading to the pipeR entering the retorts from the condenser, by means of which oil issupplied With the gas passing from the condenser to the retorts to befixed.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connectionwith the above description, and is as follows: Oil or fluid hydrocarbonis supplied to the tray in the fire-chamber in proper quantities throughthe oil-supply pipe and rises through the bottom of the tray and amassor body of absorbent or divided material-such as broken brickwhich isplaced Within the tray. The oil is then ignited and the steam-jetsturned on, passing through the injector and forcing air through theair-pipev and nozzles downward into the fire chamber and the tray. Theproducts of combustion then pass through the flues in the arch of thefire-chamber into the retort-chamber, striking the arch thereof andbeing reverberated around the retorts. \Vhen the retort-chamber andretorts have become sufficiently heated, the damper in the exit-flue isclosed, or partly closed, and the steam is turned on to the injectorswhich enter the pipes extending into the condenser, into which the gasfrom the furnace is forced, being caused to pass under the water. Fromthence the gas passes into the drum and then through the coil in thecondenser, by which aqueous vapor is separated from the gas, and fromthe coil the gas passes into and through the retorts, where it isconverted with the inflowing liquid hydrocarbon into a fixed gas, whichpasses to the tank and there to the holder or point of consumption. In

' its passage through the condenser the gas has the steam eliminated orpartly eliminated, an d the gas in a comparatively dry state passes onto be fixed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process herein described of producin g a fixed gas for heating orilluminating purposes, the same consisting in burning fluid hydrocarbonin conjunction with air and steam, then condensing and eliminating theaqueous vapor from the gaseous product, and then reheating said productin conjunction with a fluid hydrocarbon, substantially as specified. r

2. In an apparatus for generating heating and illuminating gas, incombination, a firechamber, an oil-supply pipe, and an air-pipe andsteam-injector for introducing uel. into the fire-chamber, aretort-chamber communicating with the fire-chamber, a series ofconnected retorts located therein, a condenser, and pipes connecting thesame with the retortchamber, the latter provided with a cut-off Valve ordamper, the Whole arranged to operate substantially in the mannerspecified.

3. .In an apparatus for generating gas for heating and illuminatingpurposes, the 00111- binaiion, with a gas-producing furnace, of acondenser or drum connected therewith, a

pipe leading from thefurnace and provided with perforated branch pipesextending into the condenser, and a pipe leading from the I 5 W. O.DICKEN, EDWARD BAILEY.

